FISHING EIVERS. 147 



Those who have visited this country have 

 given me no great idea of their doings ; and the 

 accommodation is only l tolerable, and not to be 

 endured;' bad beds and bad living, boatmen, 

 and great rough water, yarn lines like ropes, and 

 large flies. I have read of great things here ; 

 but, although I have spoken to many gentlemen 

 who have fished, they never gave me such a 

 description, that I much desired to follow. Sir 

 John Lees read me the other day part of a 

 letter, giving an account of a gentleman who 

 hooked a salmon in one of its rivers at five o'clock 

 in the evening, and, after working it all night, 

 was so worn out at six o'clock next morning, he 

 was quite done out, that he gave his rod to a friend, 

 who lost the fish in jive minutes ! 



Now, as a general rule (and to know when to 

 follow them, and when to depart from them), for 

 salmon, doubtless, the angler's highest sport, as 

 showing his dexterity, you are to cast your line 

 'fine and far off,' and always at a great angle, and 

 as far to the other side as you possibly can throw, 

 so as to let your fly sweep round, as he, in most 



